AUSTRALIA'S NAVAL BASE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3118, 23 June 1917, Page 2

AUSTRALIA'S NAVAL BASE

Melbourne, Jlay 2.5. The unsatisfactory system under which! tho construction of the naval base at Flinders was controlled by tho Navy Donartiuent and tho Commonwealth! Dopartnient has been abolished, mid in future the latter Department will assume complete chargo of tho undertaking. Altogether between ,£350,000 and JMOO.OOO has been spent at the baso. Before it is completed it is expected th&fc another .tfiOO.OOO will be required. The Minister of Works,-Mr. Watt, lias visited Flinders to familiarise himself with the work, for wheh he is now responsible. Ho stated yesterday that he had, in company with the Commonwealth Director of Works (Colonel Owen), tho Naval Director of Works (Mr. Settle), and the Departmental ongineer (Mr. Kill), carefully inspected the works that had so far been carried out. A number of important buildings had already been erected. There was accommodation for tho commandant, tho admiral, offioers. petty officers, warrant officers, aud seamen, a, temporary hospital, an extensive workshop and etores, administrative offices, wharfaso and dredging. Substantial , progress had not yet been niado with regarU to tho dredging. Another dredge was on order, however, and would lw finished in abouttwo months, when tho work would proceed moro oxpeditioufily. A channel was to bo dreged for about two and «■ quarter to two and a half miles from the mam Westernport channel to Hans Inlet. At first it would only be dredged to 10 or U feet for destroyed" and other small craft but later would be deepened to adn it or the passage of cruisers There would be accommodation at the baso for -ff™' with schools of all kir.ds fo^ n f^ u< £?£ in torpedo work, gunnery,, waele.s telegraphy, etc. .